Spacewalking astronauts needed to take extra safety precautions Saturday after probably getting toxic ammonia on their fits from the Worldwide Area Station’s exterior cooling system.
Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins had no hassle eradicating and venting a few outdated jumper cables to take away any ammonia nonetheless lingering within the traces. However a lot ammonia spewed out of the primary hose that Mission Management apprehensive among the frozen white flakes may need gotten on their fits.
Hopkins was shocked on the quantity of ammonia unleashed into the vacuum of house. “Oh yeah, have a look at that go. Did you see that?” he requested flight controllers. “There’s greater than I believed.”
Although the stream of ammonia was directed away from the astronauts and the house station, Hopkins stated some icy crystals could have contacted his helmet. Consequently, Mission Management stated it was going to “be conservative” and require inspections.
The astronauts’ first swimsuit verify discovered nothing amiss. “Appears clear,” Hopkins known as down.
NASA didn’t need any ammonia getting contained in the house station and contaminating the cabin ambiance. The astronauts used lengthy instruments to vent the hoses and stayed away from the nozzles, to scale back the danger of ammonia contact.
4 hours into the deliberate six-hour spacewalk, Mission Management stated the astronauts had already spent sufficient time within the daylight to bake off any ammonia residue from their fits, and that every part must be good once they return inside.
An unrelated subject popped up quickly afterward, nonetheless, when Glover complained of eye irritation. He stated his proper eye was watering, however shortly assured Mission Management that blinking appeared to assist.
As soon as the ammonia hoses had been emptied, the astronauts moved one in all them to a extra central location close to the NASA hatch, in case it’s wanted on the other finish of the station. The ammonia jumper cables had been added years in the past following a cooling system leak.
The hose work ought to have been accomplished throughout a spacewalk every week in the past, however was postpone together with different odd jobs when energy upgrades took longer than anticipated.
Saturday’s different chores included: changing an antenna for helmet cameras, rerouting ethernet cables, tightening connections on a European experiment platform, and putting in a metallic ring on the hatch thermal cowl.
Wanting to get these station enhancements achieved earlier than the astronauts head dwelling this spring, Mission Management ordered up the bonus spacewalk for Glover and Hopkins, who launched final November on SpaceX. They teamed up for back-to-back spacewalks 1 1/2 months in the past and had been comfortable to chalk up one other.
Saturday’s spacewalk obtained began nearly an hour late. Earlier than going out, the astronauts needed to exchange the communication caps beneath their helmets with the intention to hear correctly. “I’ve obtained you loud and clear,” Hopkins stated as soon as the brand new cap was on his head.
It was the sixth spacewalk—and, barring an emergency, the final—for this U.S.-Russian-Japanese crew of seven. All however one was led by NASA.
Supply:http://www.esa.int/
Spacewalkers take extra safety precautions for toxic ammonia
Hibernating astronauts would wish smaller spacecraft
Dikkat: Sitemiz herkese açık bir platform olduğundan, çox fazla kişi paylaşım yapmaktadır. Sitenizden izinsiz paylaşım yapılması durumunda iletişim bölümünden bildirmeniz yeterlidir.
Supply: https://www.bizsiziz.com/spacewalkers-take-extra-safety-precautions-for-toxic-ammonia/
